Insulated multiple connector



March 17, 1953 LEE INSULATED MULTIPLE CONNECTOR Filed June 11, 1949INVENTOR. Marvin Lee BY MMLM/ ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 17, 1953 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE INSULATED MULTIPLE CONNECTOR Marvin Lee, Rye, N.Y., assignor to Burndy Engineering Co. Inc., a corporation of New York 1Claim.

My invention relates to insulated multiple electrical connectors andmore particularly to a connector provided with an insulating coverseparable from the metallic connector body.

As disclosed. in my earlier Patent 2,087,384, my present invention beingan improvement thereof, the insulating covers were previously formedover the metal body of a predetermined size. The size of the connectorbody and the number of outlets extending therefrom determined the sizeof the mold into which the body was positioned and around which thecover was molded to provide the covered connector.

I have now found that such a construction necessitates a large number ofmolds and connector bodies. Additionally, a considerable inventory wasrequired for both the manufacturer and the utility company whichresulted in a higher cost per unit.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an insulating coverhavin a large number of connection outlets for use with an electricalbody of corresponding size, both provided with means whereby each may becut to the desired number of outlet connections without destroying theremainder of the parts from which they are taken, or any of thepre-located outlet connections in the original parts.

I accomplish these and other objects and obtain my new results as willbe apparent from the device described in the following specification,particularly pointed out in the claim, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a side elevation of aninsulation cover partly in section, having a, large number of outlets.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a connector body corresponding thereto.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of an insulated body section made fromsectioned-01f parts of the original insulating cover and connector body.

Fig. 4 is a cross section view taken in the plane 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In the drawing numeral l designates my preformed insulating cover madeof flexible Or rigid material such as rubber, Bakelite or the like,suitable for insulating a metal connector body II.

The insulating cover is illustrated with sixteen lateral extendingprojections l2, eight on each side, which corresponds to the maximumnumber of outlets which a connector body of the size and weightillustrated can structurally handle with safety.

Each projection or outlet is preferably cylindrically shaped tofacilitate insulating the electrical joint to be established thereon.The insulating cover and projections are hollow as at l 3 and M, toreceive the connector body and cable connections, respectively.

The projections extend transversely from the cover I!) a suificientdistance to enable a clamping member or other overlapping means to beapplied for establishing a sealed joint for the electrical connection tobe made at each outlet. For a purpose hereinafter explained, thedistance between longitudinally spaced outlets, as measured from thenearest surfaces, should be approximately twice the distance that theprojection extends from the cover. That is, the distance a should betwice the distance bf Thus if the cover I0 is severed at the plane c-c,midway the projections, the new projections l5 and I6 so formed wouldextend from the cover, a distance (1 equal to one-half of distance "a orequal to projection distance b. The projections I5 and I6 form twoadditional end outlets which may be utilized in every respect as theother existing outlets.

In Fig. 2, I have illustrated the metal connector body II, which may beformed of rod material, rectangular in cross-section to provide a flatsurface for the recesses 20 laterally positioned thereon, and forpreventing rotation inside the cover. These recesses are spaced apartthe same distance as the outlets on the insulating cover to permitalignment when assembled.

The connector body may also be made hollow, as at 2|, which reduces theweight considerably and will, if the hollowed portion is circular incross-section, provide end recesses 22, which when threaded will permitthe attachment of connecting plugs, not shown, which are used as cablesocket connecting devices, as shown in Fig. 8 of my early patent.

If it is desired to remove from my original insulating cover andconnector body. a suflicient length to permit four lateral outlets andtwo end outlets, shown as li a and Ila respectively in Fig. 3, I can cutthe original cover along the plane c--c, following peripheral niches H,which may be molded therein, for this purpose, producing a lengthsuitable for my structure. The connector body, similarly cut may then beslightly shortened at the ends to provide a similar overlap ofinsulating cover, as occurs at the lateral outlets.

If more or less lateral outlets are needed, a greater or less section iscut from both cover and body.

End. plugs I8 are preferably used as closures for unused outlets, thesurface junction of plug and cover being sealed with insulating tape orcovered with a sealing and cementing compound well known in the art formoisture-proofing the connection.

I have thus described my invention, but I desire it understood that itis not confined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, thesame being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carriedout in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention,and, therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalentinstrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claim, and bymeans of which, objects of my invention are attained and new resultsaccomplished, as itv is obvious that the particular embodiments hereinshown and described are only some of the many that can be employed toattain these objects and accomplish these results.

I claim:

In combination, avconnector body and. an insulatingcover thereforprovided with a plurality of longitudinal tubular projections spacedapart a distance not substantially less than twice the distance thatsaid tubular projections extend from the cover; said cover beingprovided with molded markings midway between projections for indicatingthe points of peripheral severance whereby the cover may be divided intoa plurality of selected units each provided with tubular sideprojections at the sides and at the ends thereof, and means for securinga conductor to said connectorbody at each of said tubular projections.

MARVIN LEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,338,989 Lang May 4, 19202,087,384 Lee July 20, 1937 2,449,450 Carlson Sept. 14, 1948 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 587,574 France Jan. 20, 1925

